A hinge structure of the aforedescribed type, in the form of an armrest for a motor vehicle is described in DE 199 57 523 C2. The armrest is swingable relative to a fixed part or support and can be arrested in different use positions by appropriate abutments. These positions can include a horizontal position of the armrest and a vertical position. In the latter position, the armrest is out of the way to allow a user of the vehicle to utilize, for example, a bench seat or to move past the armrest without impingement. In the horizontal position, the armrest can be used for the comfort of passengers seated to either side.
The abutments can include an abutment or stop at the end of the maximum range of rotation of the armrest. Generally the length of the pivotal member, namely, the armrest, is significantly greater than the length of the arm or arms of the hinge and thus provides a significantly longer lever so that when the body is swung from an end, for example, and a stop engages the hinge, considerable force can be produced between the body and the hinge and damage can occur to the pivotal body or the hinge.